Means for dispensing liquid from sealed metal cans



Oct. 25, 1938. L G K N 4 2,134,127

MEANS FOR DISPENSING LIQUID FROM SEALED METAL CANS Filed May 27, 1936 Ticr. 90"

8O 56 I 58 x 54 "};-1-.\\ I INVENTOR g z Arrhur Hopkms ATTORN EYS Patented Oct. 25, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR DISPENSING LIQUID FROM SEALED METAL CANS tion of Delaware Application May 27, 1933, Serial No. 673,157

19 Claims.

This inventionv relates to means for dispensing liquid from sealed metal cans, and more particularly to such a device for dispensing lubricating oil at automobile filling and service stations.

Lubricating oil is often dispensed at filling stations, service stations, and the like, from sealed metal cans or containers. To facilitate emptying such containers it has heretofore been proposed to use funnel-like devices adapted to receive one end of the can and provided with one or two cutters or punches for puncturing the end of the can. Such devices suffer from a number of disadvantages, which need not be detailed except one concerning refilling of the can. Obviously the merchandising in sealed cans is intended to prevent the substitution of an inferior oil. If only the end of the can is perforated, the can may be refilled and a new end placed on the can, or the opening repaired, or the can may be left unrepaired and perforated, in which case an unscrupulous dealer can apply the funnel or dispensing device to the perforated can unless followed and closely watched by the motorist. Accordingly, one primary object of the present invention is to generally improve these devices, with a View to correcting such faults and disadvantages. More particularly, one object of the present invention is to avoid leakage or spillage of oil when emptying the can and transferring the oil to the crank case, and with this object in View I employ an intermediate receptacle or reservoir into which the oil pours from the perforated can and from which the oil is readily and conveniently transferred to the crank case. Still another object of the present invention is to completely destroy the can, making the same useless as a container and thereby wholly preventing the possibility of refilling the same. With this object in view I provide cutting means and venting means which cut through the side walls of the can, preferably near opposite ends of the can. This makes it impossible to reconstruct the can by applying a new end, and impracticable to repair the can in any manner, and impossible to refill the unrepaired can with oil. Still further objects of the present invention center about the cutter for perforating the side walls of the can, and are: vto provide a cutter which will cut away a large portion of the can wall; which will penetrate the can wall without undue effort; which will not itself impede the flowof oil from the can; and which will so bend or roll up the severed metal as to insure full drainage of oil from the can.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as will hereinafter appear, my

invention consists in the oil dispenser elements and their relation one to the other, as hereinafter are more particularly described in the specification and sought to be defined in the claims. The specification is accompanied by drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a partially sectioned side view of a dispensing device constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with the can removed;

Fig. 3 is a section taken in the plane of the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the emptied can; and

Fig. 5 shows the cutter in perspective.

Referring to the drawing, the dispensing device of my invention comprises a receptacle I2 provided with a spout I4 and a handle I6. Combined with the receptacle are can supporting and perforating means, the supporting means being here exemplified by the end supports I6 and I8, and the side supports 20. The perforating means includes a main cutter 22 for cuttinga large drainage hole in the side wall of the can, and an auxiliary punch or cutter 24 for venting the can. In operation, it will be understood that a sealed can 30 is forced into the can supporting means and is at the same time opened by the cutter. In one aspect, I provide a dispensing device open at the top and having a cutter. 22 and guide means I 6, I8, and 20 to guide the can to the cutter. The oil drains freely and fully into the receptacle I2. The device is then applied to a crank case opening or breather pipe 32 when the oil is readily and completely emptied from receptacle i2 into the pipe 32 by tilting the complete unit.

Considering the arrangement in greater detail, the dispensing device preferably consists of a unitary cast metal body made, for example, of an aluminum or other light metal alloy in order to reduce its weight. The body comprises the receptacle I2- which is preferably though not necessarily made generally rectangular in shape,

and which is most desirably provided with a fiat bottom wall 34 so that the dispensing unit may be rested on the said bottom wall. The side walls may, if desired, include transparent glass inserts or windows 33 making visible the color and quantity of the oil, the glass having graduations, if preferred. The spout I4 is formed at one end or side of the receptacle I2 and is most conveniently formed with an ascending portion 36 and a descending portion 38, the intermediate or highest portion of the spout being at a level substantially higher than the normal oil level in the receptacle, as indicated by the line 40. At

the same time the tip end 42 of the spout is preftilted upwardly through a relatively small angle to permit complete drainage of the oil from the receptacle into the crank case.

The handle I6 is formed at the side of the receptacle opposite that carrying the spout l4, and in the present instance is cast integrally with the body of the dispensing device.

The supports I6, I8 and 20 for the can are also formed integrally with the receptacle l2 and in the present case are arranged to hold the can 30 in a nearly horizontal but at least slightly tilted position. The lowered end of the can is, of course, disposed above the open top of the receptacle, and it is this end which is perforated by cutter 22, thus insuring complete emptying of the can. The end l6 consists merely of an end wall or rest provided with side flanges 44 for guiding and receiving a can forced into place. The support member l8 consists merely of an end wall which is stiffened and strengthened by a web 46 which extends between the handle l6 and the venting means and acts as a support for the latter. The side supports 20 converge or slope toward one another so as to better fit and center the cylindrical can body. The top of receptacle I2 is substantially open between the side supports 20, butthe lower end portion of the opening is provided with inwardly extending flanges 48 on which the cutter 22 is mounted, while the upper end portion is provided with a transverse flange 50 having a pair of projections 52 for seating and centering the can body.

The cutter 22 comprises three cutting edges arranged in the form of a U and producing the three severances 54, 56 and 58 shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The front wall 50 of the cutter is trapezoidal in shape, as is best shown in Fig. 3, the cutting edge 62 thereof being biased so as to provide the cutter with a point 64 for readily penetrating the can. The side walls 66 and 68 of the cutter are each generally triangular in shape and slope downwardly respectively from the lower and higher ends of the cutting edge 62 to the base 18 of the cutter. The top or hypotenuse edge of the sides 66 and 68 are sharpened to provide sloping cutting edges 12 and 14. It will be understood from the foregoing description and will be evident from an inspection of V Fig. 1, that the cutting edges 12 and 14 are sub stantially different in angular position. The significant thing, however, is that at any particular level downwardly from the point of the'cutter, the distance from the edge 14 to the front wall 60 is greater than the distance from edge 12 to the front wall 60. As a result of this construction they tend to roll up the tab of metal 80, cut in the side wall of the can, in an uneven or sloping manner, best shown in Fig. 4, so that the tab of metal does not catch or retain any appreciable amount of oil but instead permits free drainage of the oil from behind the tab through the drainage opening. To facilitate the free flow of oil from the can downwardly into the receptacle I2, the body of the cutter is preferably skeletonized, the interconnecting wall 60 and the side walls 56 and 68 being cut away, as is indicated at 16. The cutter is secured in place by a pair of screws 18 passing through appropriate apertures or slots in the base "I and threaded into tapped holes in the flanges 48.

The punch or cutter 24 is secured to an operating knob 82 with a holding strap 84 clamped therebetween. The strap or arm 84 is pivotally mounted at 86 on an ear 88 cast integrally with the end structure I8, 46 of the dispenser body.

It will be evident that after a can has been forced downwardly into place against the cutter 22, the knob 82 is simply oscillated upwardly to bring the punch 24 around against the side wall of the can at the upper end thereof, the resulting perforation being indicated at 90 in Fig. 1. It will be understood that the perforations produced by the cutting and venting tools are at opposite ends of the can and are diametrically opposed, thus making the venting action extremely effective. The oil is rapidly drained into the receptacle because of the generous size of the drainage opening and the effective venting of the can.

It is believed that the mode of constructing and using the improved dispensing device of my invention, as Well as the many advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. The dispensing device prevents leakage or spillage because when the can is perforated it is alreadydisposed over a receptacle which receives the oil as it drains from the can. The can is eifectively destroyed against any possibility of repair or refilling, first, because it is perforated on a side wall rather than an end wall, second, because it is perforated on the side wall near both ends of the can, and, thirdly, because the drainage opening is extremely large. The oil may be transferred to a crank case with great ease and under perfect control because the receptacle is itself provided with a convenient pouring spout, and this spout is so designed that the oil is normally retained in the receptacle yet may be fully drained from the receptacle by oscillating the unit upwardly through a relatively small angle. In the specific case shown, the dispensing device need only be raised from a horizontal position through an angle of 45 or 50 to permit complete emptying of the contents. The can is fully drained because of the large drainage opening-because of the effective venting, and because the cutter is so designed that even the tab of metal struck upwardly thereby does not obstruct oil drainage. The cutter itself is operated without undue resistance, yet cuts a large opening and rolls the sheet metal unevenly or slopingly. The body of the cutter is itself skeletonized to facilitate fiow of oil therethrough.

It will be understood that while I have described the dispensing device of my invention as V employed for dispensing lubricating oil at automobile filling stations, it may equally well be employed for the emptying and dispensing of any liquid from sealed metal cans. It will further be apparent that while I have shown and described the structure of my invention in preferred form, many changes and modifications may be made in the said structure without departing from the spirit of the invention, defined in the following claims. 7

I claim:

1. Means for dispensing liquid from sealed metal cans comprising a receptacle having a bottom wall and side walls around the entire periphcry of said bottom wall, whereby said receptacle is open only at the top thereof, for temporarily receiving liquid discharged from the can, means for supporting the can above said receptacle at the open top thereof, a cutter for perforating the can to cause the contents to drain downwardly into the receptacle, and a spout leading from the receptacle.

2. Means for dispensing oil from sealed metal cans comprising a receptacle having a bottom wall and side walls around the entire periphery of said bottom wall, whereby said receptacle is open only at the top thereof, for temporarily receiving oil discharged from the can, means for supporting the can above said receptacle at the opentop thereof, a cutter for perforating the can to cause the contents todrain downwardly into the receptacle, means for additionally puncturing the can to vent the same, and a spout leading from the receptacle such that oil is readily poured from the receptacle.

3. Means for dispensing oil from sealed metal cans comprising a receptacle having a bottom wall and side walls around the entire periphery of said bottom wall, whereby said receptacle is open only at the top thereof, for temporarilyreceiving oil discharged from the can, means for supporting the can abovesaid receptacle at the open top thereof, a cutter for perforating the can to cause the contents to drain downwardly into the receptacle, means for additionally puncturing the can to vent the same, and a spout leading from the receptacle and having a portion elevated above the oil level in the receptacle, said spout permitting oil discharged downwardly from the can into the receptacle to be readily poured into an engine crank case.

4. Means for dispensing liquid from sealed metal cans comprising a receptacle provided with a pouring spout and a handle, support means located above said receptacle for supporting a cylindrical can in a nearly horizontal but slightly tiltedposition, and a cutter for cutting away a portion of the side wall of the can near the lower end of. the can.

5. Means for dispensing oil from sealed metal cans comprising a receptacle provided with a pouring spout and a handle, support means located above said receptacle for supporting a cylindrical can in a nearly horizontal but slightly tilted position, a cutter for cutting away a large portion of the side wall of the can near the lower end of the can, and a punch for puncturing a vent opening in the elevated side wall of the can.

6. Means for dispensing liquid from sealed metal cans comprising a unitary body including a receptacle having a relatively flat bottom, support means above said receptacle for receiving and supporting a can, a spout formed at one side of. the receptacle, and a handle formed at the opposite side of the receptacle, and a cutter on said body for perforating the lower part of a can placed in the support means.

7. Means for dispensing liquid from sealed metal cans comprising a unitary body including a receptacle having a relatively flat bottom, support means above said receptacle for receiving and supporting a can in a slightly tilted but nearly horizontal position, a spout formed at one end of the receptacle, and a handle formed at the opposite end of the receptacle, a cutter secured to said body for cutting the side wall of the can near the lower end of. the can, and a punch for venting the can.

8. Means for dispensing oil from sealed metal cans comprising a unitary body including a receptacle having a relatively flat bottom, support means above said receptacle for receiving and supporting a can, a spout formed at one end of the receptacle and directed first upwardly and then downwardly, a handle formed at the opposite end of the receptacle, and a cutter secured to said body for perforating the lower part of the can.

9. Means for dispensing oil from sealed metal cans comprising a unitary body including a receptacle having a relatively fiat bottom, support means above said receptacle for receiving and supporting a can in a slightly tilted but nearly horizontal position, a spout formed at one end of the receptacle and directed first upwardly and then downwardly, and a handle formed at the opposite end of the receptacle, a cutter secured to said body for cutting the side wall of the can near the lower end of the can, and a punch for venting the can. 1

10. Means for dispensing oil from sealed metal cans comprising a unitary cast body made of a light metal alloy, said body including a receptacle having a relatively flat bottom, support means above said receptacle for receiving and supporting a can in a slightly tilted but nearly horizontal position, a spout formed at one end of the receptacle and directed first upwardly and then downwardly, and a handle formed at the opposite end of the receptacle, a cutter secured to said casting for cutting a relatively large portion of the side wall of the can near the lower end of the can, and a punch for puncturing a vent opening in the elevated sidewall of the can.

11. A cutter for cutting a drainage opening in the wall of a can, said cutter including connected cutting sides for defining-the side edges of the drainage opening, said sides having cutting edges sloping downwardly, the opposite edges being at substantially different angles, whereby a tab of metal severed in the wall of the can is rolled upwardly unevenly or at an angle.

12. A cutter for cutting a drainage opening in the side wall of a can, said cutter including three connected cutting walls forming a generally U-shaped cutter, the front cutting wall being biased to present a pointed sloping cutting edge, the side cutting walls being triangular and sloping downwardly from the ends of the front cutting edge to the base of the cutter, so that at any particular level downwardly from the point of the cutter the distance from one of said side cutting edges to the front wall is substantially different from that from the other of said side cutting edges to the front wall, whereby a tab of metal severed in the wall of the can is rolled upwardly unevenly or at an angle to prevent the trapping of oil, the body of the cutter being apertured to permit free flow of liquid therethrough.

13. Means for dispensing liquid from sealed metal cans comprising a receptacle having a bottom wall and side walls around the entire periphery of said bottom wall, whereby said receptacle is open only at the top thereof, for temporarily receiving liquid discharged from the can, means for supporting the can above said receptacle at the open top thereof, a cutter for perforating the can to cause the contents to drain downwardly into the receptacle, a spout leading from the receptacle, and a transparent wall portion on said receptacle for disclosing the oil contained therein.

14. Means for dispensing oil from sealed metal cans comprising a receptacle provided with a pouring spout and a handle, support means located above said receptacle for supporting a cylindrical can in a nearly horizontal but slightly tilted position, a cutter for cutting away a large portion of the side wall of the can near the lower end of the can, a punch for puncturing a vent opening in the elevated side wall of the can, and a transparent Wall portion in the side of the receptacle for disclosing the oil contained in the receptacle, said transparent wall portion having one or more indications of quantitative measurement.

15. Means for dispensing liquid from sealed cylindrical metal cans comprising support means for receiving and supporting a cylindrical can, and for enclosing and housing the lower part of the can when the can is in position in the support means, a cutter for so cutting away a portion of the side wall of the can as to cause free drainage of the contents, and a pouring spout for facilitating dispensing of the liquid, the enclosing supportserving to prevent escape of the drained liquid, and the cutting of the side wall of the can serving to effectively destroy the can and to prevent refilling of the same.

16. Means for dispensing oil from sealed metal cans comprising support means for supporting a can in a tilted position, a cutter for cutting away a large portion of the side wall of the can near the lower end of the can, a punch for puncturing a vent opening in the can, and a pouring spout for facilitating dispensing of the oil.

17. A liquid dispensing device for hermetically sealed containers, comprising a container-receiving body portion having a wall projecting to form a seat for the lower end of the container,

a discharge spout projecting from said body portion, and a cutter supported adjacent said wall and constructed and arranged to cut a drain hole in a side wall of the container near its lower end while the container is supported by said well in a liquid dispensing position.

7 18. -An oil dispensing device comprising a body portion having a spout connected thereto, means for supporting a container in said body portion with its longitudinal axis extending across said body portion, and a cutter located in said body portion and having a piercing point disposed relative to the support so as to pierce the side wall of the container body adjacent the end seam for forming a dispensing opening therein.

19. ,A can opening device for use on an open topped dispensing device including a cutter, means for attaching the cutter to the dispensing device to project from the upper end thereof, and means for guiding a can to have its side wall pierced by the cutter.

' ARTHUR G. HOPKINS. 

